Three cars exploded in the poor Shia neighborhood of Sadr City, followed by other blasts in al-Amin and an open-air market in Husseiniya, just north of the capital, and in the eastern suburb of Kamaliya.

There are growing concerns that Sunni paramilitaries will stage more attacks ahead of provincial elections planned for April 20, the first national vote since the U.S. withdrew its combat troops more than a year ago.